Picking device for flat hosiery knitting frames having hooked needles



Apx il 30, 1940. 2,198,846

PIGKING DEVICE FOR FLAT HOSIERY KNITTING FRAMES HAVING HOOKED NEEDLES Filed April 11, 1938 6 Sheets-Sheet l inns/21 0f F. TESSE April 30, 1940.

PICKING DEVICE FOR FLAT HOSIERY KNITTING FRAMES HAVING HOOKED NEEDLES Filed April 11, 1938 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 F. TEssE PICKING DEVICE FOR FLAT HOSIERY KNITTING FRAMES HAVING HOOKED NEEDLES 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed April 11, 1938 N. L Q i@ AL \mm mm Awm mm @w NM F. TESSE PICKING DEVICE FOR FLAT HOSIERY KNITTING FRAMES HAVING HOOKED NEEDLES Filed April 11, 1938 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 F. TESSEI April 30, 1940.

PICKING DEVICE FOR FLAT HOSIERY KNITTING FRAMES HAVING HOOKED NEEDLES Filed April 11, I958 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 F. TESSE April 30, 1940.

PICKING DEVICE FOR FLAT HOSIERY KNITTING FRAMES HAVING HOOKED NEEDLES Filed April 11, 1958 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 Patented 'Apr. 3.051940 PATENT. OFFICE."

PICKIN G DEVICE FOR FLAT HOSIERY KNIT- TING FRAMES HAVING HOOKED NEEDLES Flix Tess, La. Conrneuvc, France, assignor to Socit (lite: Societe Generale De Bonneterie,

Troyes, (Aube), France Application April 11, 1938, Serial No. 201,448

In France April 14, 1937 3 Claims. (01. 66-96) My invention relates to devices controlled by a single drum in order to obtain on all sections of a hosiery knitting frame, whatever the number of same may be, every fashioning and widening operation, picot edge and all sorts of lace pat terns.

One of the objects of the invention consists in relieving all the sections from the. devices which heretofore allowed to perform, on the hosiery knitting frames, said various operations: cradle frame for picot edge points, picker-bars of fashioning or narrowing attachments, and drum lace attachments.

It is a fact that suggestion has been made to substitute for all these attachments, in every section, a single cradle frame carrying pickers set in or out of action by a single Jacquard device. But said Jacquard selecting devices use either string devices, or electromagnetic means.

The Jacquard string devices use as many strings as there are pickers in the whole of the sections of the frame, thereby intricating to a considerable extent the frame and reducing its rate of operation.

The Jacquard electromagnetic selecting devices also complicate the machine in an expensive manner; no guarantee is given that an electromagnet which, according to the drawings, is to act upon a picker, without acting upon the next one, will not in fact act upon said two pickers, in virtue of their closeness. Finally, in order to secure the operation, it is necessary for the contact pieces to be everywhere perfectly clean, and this requires a careful maintenance.

It has also been suggested to cut in two the single fashioning and lace cradle frame of every section of a Jacquard hosiery knitting frame in order to obtain either fashioning, or lace patterns, in a single dive of the points cradle frame. However, the disadvantages of the Jacquard pattern controlling attachments which have been hereinbefore mentioned still remain and moreover the proposed arrangement does not secure the required accuracy in the position of the picker-bars 'for picking and transferring the meshes.

My invention allows to carry out safely and at the highest rates which can be obtained with the present hosiery flat knitting frames, with a single Jacquard selecting device, with a single mechanical device for setting into action, as de sired. for all the sections, the pickers used for fashioning or for lace patterning, due to jacks in a number equal to the one of the pickers, with a single picker board made of two parts at every points cradle frame, all sorts of picking operations (fashioning, widening, picot, lace patterns).

My. invention may also be utilised in connection with a flat embroidered hosiery knitting frame having a large number of needle-beds in which all of the thread-guides would thus be set in action by a single Jacquard selecting device, such as are operated the lace needles in the hereinafterdescribed embodiment.

In the drawings accompanying the present specification and forming part of same, a fashioning and lace attachment, in which our invention is carried out, is shown, by way of example, as applied to a fiat knitting machine.

Fig. 1 is a section of the picking device of a needle bed (movable part: picker board and members for directly actuating the pickers; fixed part: swinging blade and selector fingers actuated by the connecting mechanism).

Fig- 2 is a section of the single control device (for example: drum) including the keys which act on the connecting mechanism.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of a perforated plate.

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatical view of the con necting mechanism between the single control device (drum) and the fixed part of the picking devices of each needle bed.

Fig. 5 is a diagrammatical view of the control of the lateral movement of the picker boards for the transfer of the loops.

Fig. 6 is a section of a part of said control.

Figs. '7, 8, 9 and 91; show modifications of various parts of the device; Figs. 9 and 9a are two parts of one and the same view, the line XX of Fig. 9 should in reality be located on the left of the line YY of Fig. 9a.

Figs. 10 to 14 are views of the device which is the object of Fig. 1, reduced to its essential elements, at the difierent instants ofa picking operation.

At each needle bed the device according to the invention comprises a movable part and a fixed part.

The movable part comprises two boards I and 2 (Figs. 1, 5 and 10 to 14) each carrying a number of pickers, such as m and p2 equal to half the number of needles of the needle beds.

To each needle of the needle bed corresponds a picker located in the same vertical plane.

The picker boards I and 2 are carried by the 50 tube 3 which is secured to the arms 4 fast on the shaft 5.

The picker boards I and 2 can slide along the tube 3, but cannotrotate about its axis.

On the spindle 6, one of which is secured to 55 each board, are pivoted levers ii -a: each of which corresponds to a picker p1-pz'. The lower parts of said 'levers ai--az are in contact with the pickers p1-pz and their upper parts are in contact with the lower ends I of rockers such as b1b2 which'are pivoted on the pin 8. Stays 9, fixed on the board (I or 2), ensure the 'lateral guiding of the levers a and of the rockers b.

- When the rockers occupy the position In (Figs. 1, 10, Hand 12), the levers occupy the position 111, bear on the corresponding pickers and cause them to bend as indicated at m. This position of the picker is the operative position.

When the rockers take up the position In (Figs. 1, 13, and 14), the pickers, by resiliency, return to the inoperative position n and carry the levers back to the position 02.

The whole arrangement which has just been described can swing about the shaft 5 (Figs. 1, 10, 11 and 12) as knownj only the bent pickers 121 can couple themselves with the corresponding needles and effect the picking operations.

The fixed part of the device opposite each needle comprises a sill ill (Figs. 1 and 2) which is secured to the frame of the machine and on which are fixed as many parts ll (Fig. 1) as there are groups of adjacent boards i and 2 (Fig. 5), that is to say as there are needle beds.

The parts ll carry stays l2 (Fig. 1) in two holes of which are engaged two rods 13 and I4 (Figs. 1 and On the rod l3 are pivoted fingers (1 such as d1, do. On the rod M are pivoted levers e such as e1, e2; the arms of said levers in contact with the fingers d are all identical; their other arms are each provided with a heel j which, in Fig. 1, can occupy one of the four positions f1. f2, f3, f4.

The levers, such as e, can, by pivoting about the rod l4, occupy two positions which are designated by e1 and eg in Fig. 1. They are urged back towards their position 62 by springs l5.

When they occupy the position e2 (Figs. 1, 11, 12, 13 and 14), they hold the fingers in the position 112.

When pressure is exerted downwardly on the heel f of one of the levers, the corresponding finger d is released and, responsive to the action of the springs It, occupies the position d1 (Figs. 1 and 10).

In the position 111, the fingers d engage their lower ends in notches of the corresponding rockers b (Figs. 1 and 10), whereas, in the position d2 they are not in contact with the rockers (Figs. 1 and 14).

A spindle H, which is mounted in bearings secured to the machine, carries a blade L opposite each needle bed.

The spindle H can swing on itself between two extreme positions corresponding to two positions L1 and L2 of the blade L (Figs. 1 and 10). The function of the blade L will be defined hereinafter.

0n the rim of a single drum 18, which can rotate about the spindle l9 Fig, 2), are fixed bars on which studs 2| can be fastened in grooves. in the known manner. The distance or pitch a between the axes of two consecutive studs on the same bar is the same as that of two consecutive needles of one of the needle beds.

Above the drum is fixed, on the frame of the machine, a box 22 (Fig. 2) carrying two periorated plates 23 in-which pass and are guided rods (keys) such as T1, T2, r3, r4 Figs. 2 and. 3). The holes of said plates 23, the total number of which is equal to that of the needles of a needle bed, are arranged in four rows A, B, C, D (Fig. 3) in such a manner that between the axis of n and the projection of the axis of r: on the line A, there is a distance (1 equal to that of two consecutive needles of a needle bed; similarly between the projections of the axes of r: and T3, of r; and 14, etc.

It ensues that the distance between the centres of two holes of the same row (A for example) is equal to four times the distance between two consecutive needles of a needle bed.

The lower part of each of the keys 1 is fiattened and terminates in a hook Fig. 2). Said hooks engage in the noses of levers which have the four shapes s1, s2, s3, $4 of Fig. 2 and are pivoted about the same spindle 24, are held laterally by the stays 25 and are urged by springs 26 into contact with a single abutment 21.

The drum I!) (under the action of an actuating device not shown) successively brings the bars 20 opposite the lower heels of the levers such as s1, s2, s3, .94. At each bar, any lever s under which a stud 2| is brought, is lifted and in its turn causes the corresponding key 1 to move upwards, so that the single row of studs of a bar causes certain keys 1 to project from the four rows A, B, C, D, above the upper perforated plate 23.

The studs 2| are distributed over each bar of the drum l8 as are to be distributed the pickers to be brought into the operative position on the picker boards of all the needle beds for the picking operation to be effected in one course of the article.

A connecting mechanism enables the arrangement of the studs 2| of a bar to be shifted through the instrumentality of the keys 1' which they have lifted above the perforated plate 23- in order to place predetermined pickers, on the picker boards of each needle bed, in the operative position.

Said connecting mechanism consists of a longitudinal bar 28 which undergoes, in the sill l0 (Figs. 1 and 2), at each picking operation, a translatory displacement-altemately in one direction and in the other--the amplitude of which is equal to the length of a needle bed, under the action of a lever 29 (Fig. 4) which is actuated by the rotation of the main shaft of the machine through the intermediary of a mechanism not shown.

On said bar 28 are mounted slides which are guided by fixed slide bars 30, viz.:

(a) At one of the ends of the bar 28, opposite the keys r. a slide 3| Figs. 2 and 4) (b) At the other end ofthe bar 28, the slide 32 (Fig. 4);

(0) Between the two, opposite each needle bed, a slide such as 33 (Figs. 1 and 4).

The slide 3| carries two pins 34 and 35 (Fig. 4). On the pin 34 are pivoted four levers m1, m2, ms, m; which each have at their upper part a groove in which respectively pass the steel Wires hi, 722, ha, h4. The lower parts of the levers m bear on the ends of the four levers n1, n2, 11:, m which are pivoted on the pin 35 and respectively carry the rollers 01, 02, 03, 04.

The slide 32 (Fig. 4) carries a pin 36 on which are pivoted four levers qr, I12, qz. Q4 which receive, in their upper groove, the steel wires hi, ha, ha, 724, and are retracted separately by springs such as 31.

Each of the slides 33 (Figs. 1 and 4) carries a pin 38 on which are loosely mounted four levers g1, g2, g3. 94, in the upper groove of each of which pass the steel wires hi, hz, ha, In and the lower heel of which optionally pushes back one end of the releasing springs hi, ha, 103, kr corresponding respectively to each of them. The other end of the releasing springs k is held in a part 38 secured to the slide 33.

The parts designated above by letters are located in the same longitudinal plane when they have the same index (respectively 1-2--3 -4), viz.: the levers m, n and the rollers o, the levers 9, q and the springs k, and the same steel wire 72. passes in the grooves of the levers m, g and q which have the same index as said wire,

On sleeves 48, H, 42 (Fig. 4) which are secured to the steel wires hi, ha, ha and hi bear, as shown in Fig. 4, the levers m, g and q.

In a translation of the bar 28 and of the whole group of slides, the rollers 01, 02, 0a and 04 respectively encounter one after the other, the upper ends of those keys 1' alone of the rows A (for 01), B (for 02), C (for 03) and D (for 04), which have been lifted by the studs 2| of a bar 20 (Figs. 2 and 4).

The .relative positiln of the slides 3| and 33 is such that when the centre of the roller 01 is on the extension of the axis of the key 11, the lowest part of the spring in is just above the heel {1 of the lever e1 (Fig. 1); and this is the-case for all the needle beds.

When (Fig. 4) the roller 01, for example, encounters the key T1 which is assumed to be lifted by a stud, it is itself lifted and acts on the lever mi which, through the intermediary of the sleeve 48, pulls the steel wire hi in the direction of the arrow F; the sleeve 4| then causes the lever in to swing and lower the end of the spring 701; the spring It; acts on the heel ii of the lever e1 (Fig. 1) and the corresponding finger d occupies the position (11. At the same time, the sleeve 42, through the intermediary of the lever -q1, tensions the spring 31, When it has gone beyond the key n, the roller or falls down again and the spring 31 brings back the whole arrangement in the opposite direction to the arrow F until the tail of the lever n1 stops on the abutment 43; the spring k1 is released and moves upwards to bear on the bushing of the lever gr.

The above movements recur for the roller 01 each time that, in the row A (which corresponds to it) it encounters a lifted key n, (for example n, then 1'9 in Fig. 4). The same applies to the rollers 02, 03, 04 in the rows of keys B, C, D which respectively correspond to them (Fig. 3).

By means of successive movements which are equal to the distance between the needles, the rollers 01, 02, 0a, 04 can respectively successively encounter r1, 1'2, 1'3, n and act, through the intermediary of the levers o and of the fingers d, on four consecutive pickers of all the picker boards. The same roller, 01 for example, should move at least from T1 to T5 and encounter two consecutive lifted keys of the row A; it therefore only renders operative, on the picker boards, the pickers that are spaced apart at least the distance equal to the intervals between four consecutive needles or a multiple of four intervals.

Another connecting mechanism determines, for each needle bed, the position of the two picker boards at the instant when the loops are engaged and the transfer movements of said loops. It consists of a rod 44 which can slide in the tube 3 (Figs. 1, 5 and 6) and carries a rack 45 (Fig. 6), in each space between two consecutive sections of the machine. The tube 3 is grooved to allow said rack to pass and the latter meshes with a bed tend to move apart under the effect of the spring 49 (Fig. 5) and bear, through the intermediary of the fingers 50, on the cams 48. Such as they are shown in Fig. 5, the cams 48 can occupy four positions, viz.:- that shown in Fig. 5 and the positions in which the axes a:-a:, y-u, z-z are horizontal.

(a) In the position of the cams 48 which is shown in Fig. 5, the two picker boards I and 2 of each rib are contiguous;

(b) When :c--a: is horizontal, the two picker boards I and 2 are moved together a distance equal to theinterval a or distance between two consecutive needles, in the direction of the arrow F1;

(c) When yy is horizontal, the two picker boards I and 2'are each spaced a distance equal to the interval a from the axis of the needle bed;

(15) When z--z is horizontal, the two picker boards 1 and 2 are each spaced at distance equal to two intervals or from the axis of the needle bed.

Of course, instead of the shape shown in Fig. 5 (four axes at 45) for the cams 48, other shapes could be conceived which would cause other integral or relative movements of the two picker boards I and 2 of each needle bed (for example five axes at 36, six axes at 30, etc.).

But the shape shown in Fig. 5 suffices for effecting, in the manufacture of a complete stocking, the various narrowings, the marks and all the open work patterns.

The various angular positions of the cams 48 can be obtained, at the required instant, by an appropriate translation of the rod 44.

A mechanism not shown, which is responsive to the rotation of the main shaft of the machine, actuates the lever 5I (Fig. 5) and thereby causes, in the suitable direction, a translation of the rod 44 the amplitude of which may be determined either by the narrowing counter of the machine, or by special studs added on the bars of the drum I8.

The device operates as will be explained hereinafter, starting for example from the following initial conditions:

(a) The picker boards I and 2 are in the high position (that of Fig. 1);

(1)) Certain pickers of said boards have been placed in the operative position;

(c) The picker boards are about to move downwards to use said pickers in a picking operation.

As soon as the picker boards I and 2 start moving downwards, the shaft ll (Figs. 1 and 10) which is actuated by a device not described, rotates in such a manner that the blade L (Fig. 10) occupies the position L1 (Fig. 11). The upper edge of the blade bears on the end of the fingers d, compelling them to occupy the position d2 (Figs. 1 and 11). Responsive to the action of the springs I5, all the levers c then take up the position 22 and hold the fingers d as shown in Figs. 1 and 11. The blade L then takes up the position shown in Figs. 1 and 12.

During this time, the drum I8 has rotated and brought opposite the levers such as e1 (Fig. 2) a fresh bar 28 carrying a fresh distribution of studs 2|. Certain keys 1" are lifted by said studs. Immediately, the bar 28, and consequently all the slides 3|, 33 and 32 secured to said bar, move for example in the opposite direction to the arrow F (Fig. 4).

The rollers 01, 02, a, 04 encounter as they pass, respectively in the rows A, B, C, D, the end of the lifted keys 1; the springs k1, kg, 10:, k4 actuate as they pass, as explained above, the heels 1 of the levers e corresponding to the lifted keys 1' and the corresponding fingers d come into the position d1 (Figs. 1 and 10) or retain the position (12 (Figs. 1 and 14).

The translation of the bar 28 stops when the rollers 0 have gone slightly beyond the last key r. The arrangement of the fingers d, at each needle bed, then reproduces the pattern which had been prepared by means of the studs 2| on the bar of the drum.

While these operations are taking place, the pickers have moved downwards, have engaged the loops on the needles of the needle bed and have moved slightly upwards again (as in the usual machines). By means of the appropriate displacement of the rod 44 and of the rotation of the cams 48 that ensues therefrom, the picker boards I and 2 take up the position selected for the loop transfer, move downwards again, transfer the loops, then move upwards again while the rod 44 moves again and brings the cams 48 into the angular position which will be suitable for engaging the loops during the next picking operation (narrowing, widening, forming clocks, etc.)

When the picker boards I and 2 start moving upwards again, theblade L has-taken up the position L2 owing to the rotation of the rod I! (Fig. 15). The ends such as 52 of the rockers b encounter the lower edge of the blade L: which brings them back to the position b2 (inoperative position of the pickers), and immediately, owing to a rotation of the rod 11, the blade L2 comes into the position L and ceases to act on the ends 52 of the rockers (Fig. 14). I

The boards I and 2 continue their upward movement; the ends of the fingers d which occupy the position d1 engage in the notches of the corresponding rockers in. Said rockers rock about the pin 8 and rock the levers a which place the pickers in the operative position.

The picker boards are then ready for the next picking operation.

In said next operation, the slides will move in the direction indicated by the arrow F. Between the two successive motions of the bar 28, the drum l8 will have turned or will not have turned according to a certain angle 0:.

Should it have turned according to the angle a, the same will lift other keys r than those which have been lifted during the previous displacement of the bar 28 and the translation of the bar 28 in the direction F will bring into working position other pickers p.

If the drum l8 has not changed its position, it will lift the same keys r and the translation of the bar 28 in the direction F will set again into working position the same pickers p as in its previous motion/ The only difference resulting from. the change in the direction of translation of the bar 28 consists in that pickers :1 will be set into working position by the keys r of same index which are lifted, from the one to the next one, in the direction F (from the left to the right in Fig. v i) in starting from the left edge of every section of the frame, whilst, in the preceding displacement, the pickers p, acted upon by the lifted keys 1',

were set into working position, the one next to the other, from the right and from the left.

In the construction described above, it has been assumed that the arrangement of the studs 2| on the same drum bar was shifted 'on each picker board by means of four rows of keys 1'. It is quite obvious that this number has only been selected by way of example and may be changed as desired.

The advantage which is offered by the multiplicity of rows of keys has been explained above and consists in reducing the stresses to which are subjected the steel wires 72. and the elements of the connecting mechanism of which they form a part, and in avoiding, as a consequence, a reduction of the speed of translation of said mechanism, and therefore of the speed of rotation of the machine.

These advantages may be further increased by the use of a modification shown in Figs. 7, 8, 9 and 9a according to which the keys 1' which are again assumed for example to be arranged in four rows A, B, C, D, are divided into' two groups E; (on the right) and E2 (on the left). The slide 53 (which in this case replaces the slide- 3| of the previous description) carries two groups F and G of four levers n, having rollers. The group F operates on the four rows of the part E1, the group G on the four rows of the part E2.

.The travel of the slides is thus reduced by one half relatively to the previously described case. At each needle bed, instead of the single slide 33 previously described, are located two slides 54 and 55 carrying the springsH and J one of which, H, acts on the members i, e, d, corresponding to the picker board 2 (Fig. 5) and is actuated by the group of levers F; the spring J acts on the board I (Fig. 5) and is actuated by the group of levers G.

The levers m of the group G (Fig. 8) and the levers g of the group J (Fig. '7) have their upper grooves out of centre and, in the spaces which separate two adjacent levers-m or g-pass the steel wires h which connect the groups F and H to each other. The levers m of the group F and g of the group H are symmetrical with the former as regards the out of centre position of their upper groove.

In the above description, only an embodiment of the device has been considered, applied to all the picking, operations in flat knitting frames for looped hosiery, but the invention obviously applies to other machines as was stated in the introduction and, in particular, to flat knitting frames for embroidered hosiery.

I claim: v

1. In a flat knitting frame for looped hosiery havin a. plurality of needle beds, the combination of two picker boards per needle bed, a picker for each needle of the needle bed on said picker boards, a single Jacquard device for all the needle beds of the frame, a connecting mechanism between said Jacquard device and said picker boards of all the needle beds, a spring adapted constantly to separate the two picker boards from each other, a cam at each end of each needle bed, said two cams being actuated by the driving mechanism of the frame, said picker boards being adapted to be pressed against said cams by the action of said spring, and the contour of said cams being selected in such a manner that the position of each of said picker boards is determined respectively for the engagement and the transfer of the loops for all the picking opera.-

tions by simultaneous and symmetrical movements in opposite directions.

2. A flat knitting frame for looped hosiery as claimed in claim 1, wherein the picking device of each needle bed is decomposed into the picker board which is divided into two elements and swings about an axis, and a fixed part provided, on the one hand with a blade which, when the picker board moves upwards, brings back all the pickers into the inoperative position, then swings and only acts on the pickers after the next picking operation, on the other hand with fingers and levers which are respectively equal in number to that of the pickers and each of which corresponds to one of the pickers of the picker board, said blade having an extension adapted to act on each of said fingers and said levers and to bring same, at the beginning of each downward movement of the picker board, into a position corresponding to the inoperative position of the pickers.

3. A flat knitting frame for looped hosiery as claimed in claim 1, wherein the connecting mechanism between the picking device of each needle bed and said Jacquard device comprises keys which are of equal number to that of the needles of a needle bed, and each of which corresponds to a picker of each needle bed and is actuated by a stud of the same row of the Jacquard device in such a manner as to be lifted by said stud as it passes and to project on the path of a movable system, the length of which is equal to that of the machine and to which is imparted, at the instant 01' each downward movement of said picker boards, a translatory movement parallel with said needle bed and having an amplitude equal to the width of a needle bed, said movable system comprising, on the one hand a group of feelers, and on the other hand, opposite each picker board, a group of releasing devices, each of the elements of the groups of feelers and releasing devices corresponding respectively to a layer of said keys which are arranged in a plurality of parallel layers.

max west. 

